MEXICO CITY — The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) today announced a major partnership and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that includes the awarding of hosting rights of the U-23 Baseball World Cup® 2020 to CONADE in conjunction with the Mexican Baseball Federation (FEMEBE).

The MoU outlines three key areas of collaboration: 1) the education of coaches and umpires, 2) international events in Mexico and 3) the promotion of the WBSC’s urban Baseball5™ — the new five-on-five discipline — in schools and physical education programmes across Mexico.

Baseball in Mexico is referred to as the “King of Sports” (“El rey de los deportes”).

The joint announcement on the MoU was made by WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari, CONADE Director Ana Gabriela Guevara and FEMEBE President Enrique Mayorga at a press conference in the Mexican capital.

The Mexican cities and stadiums that will be awarded hosting rights for the Opening Round, Super Round and Finals — as well as the dates — of the III U-23 Baseball World Cup 2020 will be jointly reviewed, approved and announced by WBSC, CONADE and FEMEBE in the coming months.

“The WBSC is excited to begin this major partnership with Mexico’s highest authority in sports, CONADE, and we’re proud to support the future development of baseball in Mexico,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “This shared vision of CONADE and WBSC immediately raises the global profile of the sport of baseball as well as Mexican sport.”

“Mexico wants to bring the best events to Mexico and develop home-grown talent,” said CONADE Director Ana Gabriela Guevara. “Baseball5 is also what we are looking for — dynamic, modern — taking kids back to the streets to play. Anybody can play it and it can be played anywhere.”

The Under-23 Men’s National Baseball Team of Mexico captured the nation’s first-ever official baseball world championship last October, defeating powerhouse Japan in the Final of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018. Social media exploded across Mexican society, with celebrities, artists, writers, musicians, politicians, major news networks, journalists, athletes and clubs from other sports, and fans liking, retweeting and/or sending celebratory tweets in response to the Mexico’s historic first-ever win of a Baseball World Cup and official world championship in the sport of baseball.